Sleeping mattress



May 6, 1952 J. P. HOLT 2,595,946

SLEEPING MATTRESS Filed Aug. 50, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR.-ugazifol,

BY- @wl/9am? ATTORNEYS.

May 6, 1952 J, p, HQLT 2,595,946

SLEEPING MATTRESS Filed Aug. 50, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Z7 INVENTOR.-

Jose. Half,

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A TTORNE YS.

Patented May 6, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to a sleeping mattress and more particularlyrelates to a mattress having insulated partitions for attaining improvedsleeping comfort.

I have found that the conduction of heat from a mattress to thesurrounding spaces represents a significant avenue of heat losstherefrom, and that the comfort of a person resting on a mattress ismaterially improved by reducing the heat conductivity of the mattressitself. The temperature within a bedroom often luctuates considerablyduring the night, reaching a relatively low value during the early hoursof the morning, and it is a matter of common experience that the drop inoutdoor temperature is manifested in the bedroom to such an extent thatthe occupant of the bed may become uncomfortably cool with attendantinterruption of sleeping continuity. Recently, electronically controlledelectric blankets and other warming devices have been provided forautomatic maintenance of uniform sleeping temperatures, but these arerelatively expensive and consume substantial quantities of electricalenergy.

1t is an object of my invention to provide means for improvinguniformity of temperature conditions for resting or sleeping persons. Itis a further object of vmy invention to `provide an insulated mattressfor reducing the iiow of heat from the vicinity of the sleepers personto the surrounding atmosphere, thereby reducing energy losses andeliminating the necessity of employing artificially energized heatingmeans to warm the spaces beneath the bed covering. A still furtherobject of my invention is to provide an insulated mattress for slowingdown the effect of outside temperature fluctuations on the temperatureof the spaces beneath the bed coverings.

IOther objects and advantages of the invention, including those derivedfrom simplicity and economy of manufacture, will become apparent fromthe following description and from the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of an insulated sleeping mattress, suitable for asingle bed, illustrating an example of the invention in which insulatedpartition members form a fence surrounding the sleeping area in theupper section only of the v mattress;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view o f the same taken along the lines indicatedby the arrows .II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged schematic ,diagram'of the same showing the mannerin which the insulated partition members are joined to each `the usualvents other and to the top and sides of the mattress;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective showing only the insulated partitionmembers of the mattress of Figs. 1 to 3 and how they are related to eachother;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2, representing a modifiedform of the invention in which additional insulated members are employednear the sides of the mattress, as well as in surrounding relation tothe sleeping area, thus providing an inner and outer fence;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 2

i representing a further modification of the invention in whichinsulated fences are employed in both the upper and l-ower sections ofthe mattress;

Fig. 'i is a View similar to Fig. 4 but showing a modified form ofinsulated fence which is rounded at each end instead of being of areotangular conguration;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan View of a mattress having an insulatedfence of the character shown in Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a plan view oi a sleeping mattress, suitable for a double bed,in which the insulated partitions fence in two separate contiguoussleeping areas; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged end elevation of the mattress shown in Fig. 9.

In all of the examples of the invention selected for illustration in theaccompanying drawings the invention is embodied in a box-shaped mattresscasing which is provided with the usual inner springs and padding, thespace within the the casing being divided into sections and compartmentsby a plurality of partition members of insulating material. It will beunderstood, however, that the invention is applicable to a wide varietyof mattresses and not limited to mattresses of the particularconstructions shown herein.

With reference particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the conventional mattressis provided with inner springs 2 and filling material 3, the whole beingencased within a layer of hair provided with A horizontal partitionmember 6 of insulating material is disposed horizontally within themattress dividing the same into upper and lower sections. Each spring 2is threaded through a small aperture in the horizontal partition memberG. Additional partition members 'l of insulating material extendupwardly from partition member 6 to form a fence dividing the uppersection 8 of the mattress into a central sleeping area with wings ateach side and end compartments at each end, the wings and endcompartments being insulated from the sleeping area by the fence. In thespecic embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 the sleepingarea thus defined by the continuous, vertically extending, fence 1 isrectangular in configuration and may be assumed to be of such dimensionsas to accommodate therein a person of average siz made of a pliablematerial, such as woven asbestos, and are secured and maintained in adefinite position within the mattress casing by means of stitches,indicated at I6 in Fig. 3 which join the upper edges of partitionmembers 1 to the top covering member I of the mattress and similarlyjoin the side edges of partition member 6 to the sides Il of themattress, and also join the lower edges of partition member 1 topartition member 6.

It will .be observed that in the above described example of theinvention the vertically disposed partition members 1 are employed onlyin the upper section B of the mattress. When turned, top for bottom, sothat the upper section becomes the lower section, this type of mattressprovides enhanced comfort to the sleeper in relatively hot weather sincethe non-insulated section 9 dissipates heat more rapidly than theinsulated section 8. For maximum comfort this type of mattress isreversed, top for bottom, according to the temperature of thesurrounding atmosphere. The insulated section may be readily identifiedand distinguished from the non-insulated section by external markingsas, for example, by means of the tape indicated at l2 in Fig. 1 whichnot only tells the user which section is insulated, but indicates inoutline the exact location of the insulated fence.

In Fig. 5 there is shown a modification of the invention in which inaddition to the partition members 1 which fence the central sleepingarea similarly constructed insulated members I3 are provided whichextend vertically upwards from the horizontal partition member 6 nearthe sides and ends of the mattress, forming an outer rectangular fencein the upper section 8. Such a construction adds to the conservation ofwarmth in the vicinity of the sleeper. Heat losses which llow throughthe inner fence 1 tend to travel upwardly to the top covering l0 of themattress instead of owing outwardly through the sides and ends of themattress, thereby returning to the area beneath the bed coverings.Likewise the outer fence I3 serves to minimize the admission of cold airinto the mattress through the sides thereof.

In Fig. 6 there is shown a modification of the invention in whichinsulated fences are provided in both the upper and lower sections 8 and9. This construction is similar to that illustrated in Fig. 2 exceptthat beneath the partition members 1, extending downwardly therefrom,similarly formed partition members l1 are provided to dene insulatedsleeping areas in the lower section 9 as well as in the upper section 8,such members being secured to the bottom of the mattress and partitionmember 6 in the manner previously described. Such a mattress isparticularly suitable for cold climates.

In Figs. 7 and 8 there is shown a modification of the invention in whichthe insulated fence 1a instead of being rectangular in outline isrounded at each end of the mattress to deiine a longer sleeping area foraccommodating taller persons, and the marking tape 12a at the exteriorsurface e. Desirably the partition members 6 and 1 are mattress and toeach other.

4 of the mattress is correspondingly shaped to identify the insulatedsection and show the outline of the sleeping area.

It will, of course, be appreciated that still other outlines may beprovided for the sleeping area, for example, a diamond shape, and theembodiments selected herein for illustration represent only a few of awide Variety of configurations that may be advantageously employed.

In Figs. 9 and 10 a further modification of the invention is illustratedas applied to a mattress suitable for use with a double bed. In thisexample the insulated partition members comprise a horizontally disposedmember Bc and vertically disposed members 'lc which form two rectangles,disposed side by side, thus providing two terminally separate sleepingareas which are insulated from each other, as well as insulated from thewings and end compartments. The outlines of such sleeping areas areidentified at the exterior surface by marking tapes |20.

Although standardized symmetrical spacing of the various insulatinglayers of the mattress may be preferred for economy of manufacture orfor other purposes, the relative positions of the insulating material issubject to variation as desired. However, it is preferred to place thefence at least one inch from the inner padding or ticking of themattress.

The horizontal insulating layer may be disposed at any desired depthbetween the upper mattress surface and the lower mattress surface, andneed not be parallel to other surfaces. However, in the embodiment inwhich the mattress has only a single insulating fence extending towardthe upper mattress surface, I have found it desirable to position thehorizontal insulating layer nearer to the upper mattress surface thanthe lower surface, since during the summer months additional space isprovided within the mattress for dispensing the body warmth of thesleeper who desires to sleep on the lower (noninsulated) mattresssurface.

It will also be apparent that numerous modifications and substitutionsmay be made in the internal construction of the mattress, as well as inthe insulating materials, padding, and fences, and that certain of thefeatures of the invention may be used to advantage independently of theuse of other features, all within the spirit of the invention as definedin the claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A sleeping mattress having a partition member of heat insulatingmaterial disposed horizontally therein and dividing the same into upperand lower sections, and having an additional internal partition memberof heat insulating material in the form of a fence extending upwardlyfrom said first partition member and dividing the upper section into acentral sleeping area and wings at each side thereof, thermallyinsulated therefrom by said fence.

2. A sleeping mattress as defined in claim 1 in which said partitionmembers are of pliable material and secured to the top and sides of the3. A thermally insulated sleeping mattress as defined in claim l furthercharacterized by the provision of an additional partition member formingan outer fence extending upwardly from the horizontal partition memberand spaced outwardly from said central sleeping area.

4. A thermally insulated sleeping mattress as defined in claim 1 furthercharacterized by the provision of an additional partition member formingan outer fence extending upwardly from the horizontal partition memberand spaced outwardly from said central sleeping area and inwardly fromthe sides and ends of the mattress.

5. A sleeping mattress having a partition member of heat insulatingmaterial disposed hori zontally therein and dividing the same into upperand lower sections, and having an additional internal partition memberof heat insulating material in the form of a fence extending upwardlyfrom said first partition member and dividing the upper section into acentral sleeping area and wings at each side and compartments at eachend thereof, thermally insulated therefrom by said fence.

6. A sleeping mattress having a partition member of heat insulatingmaterial disposed horiu zontally therein and dividing the same intoupper and lower sections and having in its upper section only additionalinternal partition members of heat insulating material in the form of afence extending vertically upward from said first partition member anddividing the upper section into a central sleeping area and wings ateach side thereof.

7. A sleeping mattress as dened in claim 6, in which said upper sectionwhich includes said additional internal partition members is of lessdepth than said lower section.

8. A sleeping mattress for a double bed having a partition member ofheat insulating material disposed horizontally therein and dividing thesame into upper and lower sections, and having an additional internalpartition member of heat insulating material in the form of a fenceextending upwardly froni said first partition member and dividing theupper section into two adjacent sleeping areas and Wings at each sidethereof, the sleeping areas being thermally insulated from the wings andfrom each other by said fence.

9. A sleeping mattress having a partition member of heat insulatingmaterial disposed horizontally therein and dividing the same into upperand lower sections, and having an additional internal partition memberof heat insulating material in the form of a fence extending upwardlyfrom said first partition member, said fence being generally rectangularin outline and dividing the upper section into a central sleeping area,of dimensions to accommodate therein a person oi average size, and wingsat each Side thereof and end compartments at each end thereof, thermallyinsulated from said sleeping area by said fence.

10. A sleeping mattress comprising a boxshaped body having a partitionmember of pliable heat insulating material disposed horizontally thereinand dividing the same into upper and lower sections, and having anadditional internal partition member of pliable heat insulating materialin the form of a fence extending upwardly from said first partitionmember and dividing the upper section into a central sleeping area andwings at each side thereof, thermally insulated therefrom, said upperand lower sections being illed with cushioning materials having agreater capacity for heat conduction than said partition members.

JOSEPH P. I-IOLT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

318,141 Great Britain Allg. 7, 1930

